Nicotine levels as a predictor for various cardiopulmonary outcomes
Detecting nicotine levels in blood, urine, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) can be achieved through various methods, each with different sensitivities and specificities. Here are some commonly used methods: ### Blood 1. **Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)**: - **Description**: This is a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting nicotine and its metabolites. - **Procedure**: Blood samples are processed and nicotine is extracted. The extract is then analyzed using GC-MS. - **Advantages**: High accuracy and specificity; can detect low levels of nicotine. 2. **Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)**: - **Description**: Another highly sensitive method that uses liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. - **Procedure**: Similar to GC-MS, but the nicotine is separated using liquid chromatography before mass spectrometry analysis. - **Advantages**: High sensitivity and specificity; effective for detecting nicotine and its